Food Systems and Society Degree Requirements, Course Descriptions, and Pathways

Degree Requirements

The Food System and Society program requires 49 credits of coursework and the successful completion of a Capstone Research Synthesis, which is developed and completed in Capstone courses. The Food System and Society curriculum is sequential and cumulative; courses are taken in the order shown in the term and year table below.  Part-time options are available.

Courses in the first Fall term establish key concepts for graduate-level engagement with social problems and social justice in food systems and society, as well as orient students to the program’s practices and conventions. First-year Winter and Spring courses elaborate foundational concepts relevant to culture, policy, politics, and social justice in the food system as well as critical text-based research and preparation for Capstone work in the second year. Second-year courses continue exploration of foundational concepts relevant to realizing social justice in food systems and society as well as on developing, completing, and presenting Capstone research. 

Course Descriptions

Below are the course descriptions; please refer to the degree pathway to see where each course appears in the curriculum. 

Course Title Description Credits
FSS 500: Food Systems Inquiry Provides a foundation for academic engagement and critical inquiry relevant to social problems and social justice in food systems and society. 4
FSS 501: Concepts and Contexts in FSS Discusses the history, drivers, and context of contemporary food system issues through lenses of social justice, discourse, and ideology in our understanding and shaping of the food system. 4
FSS 502: Academic Foundations Establishes FSS scholarly conventions and foundations for collaborative learning. 1
FSS 503: Critical Text-based Research Develops information searching strategies, information management, and citation practices in the social sciences through a critical framework. 1
FSS 504: Capstone Preparation Introduces FSS Capstone research components and requirements and explores research topics relevant to social-justice problems in food systems and society. 1
FSS 505: Scholarly Communication Reviews and applies FSS scholarly conventions to FSS Capstone Research Synthesis. 1
FSS 506: Capstone Completion Discusses individual and collective Capstone learning and applications. 1
FSS 510: Food Policy and Politics Explores causes, consequences, and cures for social-justice problems evident in the food system related to social decisions in food policy and politics. 4
FSS 511: Food in Culture Examines cultural constructions of class, race, gender, and their intersections through lenses of structure, agency, privilege, and oppression. 4
FSS 520: Food Systems Theory Explores key concepts in the philosophy of science and conceptual frameworks and scholarship relevant to critical inquiry about social-justice problems in food systems and society. 4
FSS 550: Social Movements in the Food System Explores social movement theory and practice in food systems and society and considers implications and applications for creating social change. 4
FSS 560: Economic Justice in FSS Explores economic concepts, structures, and processes relevant to social justice in food systems and society. 4
FSS 580: Scholarship and Social Change Considers the role of scholarship in advancing social justice in food systems and society. 4
FSS 598-A: Capstone 1 Students complete the first phase of their Capstone Research Synthesis, which includes their research problem, conceptual frameworks, and research approaches. 4
FSS 598-B: Capstone 2 Students complete the second phase of their Capstone Research Synthesis, conducting text-based research on their capstone research questions. 4
FSS 598-C: Capstone 3 Students finalize their Capstone Research Synthesis. 4
Total Required Credits 49

Full-Time Food Systems and Society Degree Pathway

OHSU Academic Calendar

First year students enroll in five credits in a six-week summer term. For 2024 the dates are: August 12th to September 20th. 

YEAR 1: SUMMER (5 credits) FALL (8 credits) WINTER (5 credits) SPRING (5 credits)
FSS 500: Food Systems Inquiry FSS 501: Food Systems & Society FSS 511: Food in Culture FSS 520: Food Systems Theory​
FSS 502: Academic Foundations FSS 510: Food Policy & Politics FSS 503: Critical Text-based Research FSS 504: Capstone Preparation​
YEAR 2: SUMMER (0 credits) FALL (8 credits) WINTER (9 credits) SPRING (9 credits)
No courses offered in Summer term FSS 598-A: Capstone 1 FSS 598-B: Capstone 2 ​ FSS 598-C: Capstone 3​
Independent Capstone research FSS 560: Economic Justice in FSS FSS 550: Social Movements in FSS FSS 580: Scholarship & Social Change​
FSS 505: Scholarly Communication​ FSS 506: Capstone Completion​